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Anon. Poets III (Carol Watts) & IV (George Szirtes) write: The project involves us writing alternating poems, each a response to the last. Having agreed a starting point of 28 lines, we decided to move through ever fewer lines until we got to one line, and then reverse the process.
- ‘Song’
- Poem Structure
- Poetic Techniques
- Important Lines
- ‘Song’ Key Themes
- Quick Focus Questions
The title of the poem is relatively ambiguous, particularly as there is extensive crossover between poetry and songs within literature, although it does indicate that the form and rhythm of this poem will be one of its most important aspects. The subtitle of the poem states that it is “for Helen Suzman” which indicates that this is an elegy (an ele...
A key aspect of ‘Song’ is the way in which it is a highly cyclical poem, with many different elements and phrases repeated and reflected. With six stanzas, an ‘even’ reflection is achieved between the first and last, and second and fifth stanzas, with the third and fourth in the middle being more individual and unique. The use of italicised text ca...
Clear imagery helps to build upon the various key ideas in ‘Song’ with descriptive language helping to control the potential interpretations a reader is likely to have. For example, the description “one pale feather tip // the balance on a sinking ship” is notable due to the use of adjectives and verbs. Similarly, the use of contrasting ideas and i...
The use of “monstrous” is very effective because not only is it a very striking image, the multiple syllables and sibilancewould make it very noticeable to a reader. The way that this world builds from “small hands” is also interesting in the idea that this is an audible representation of individual elements coming together to make something more p...
Power:‘Song’ mixes ideas of individual power with collective societal power, specifically in how individuals can take action and cause change which while initially it may seem inconsequential, it a...Society and Culture:Helen Suzman’s activism and work throughout her life had a huge impact upon wider society in South Africa, so it is natural that this elegy reflects that through incorporating i...Many readers may not know about the work of Helen Suzman. What is a reader likely to understand about her just from the poem itself?What is the impact of the rhyme schemeof the poem? Does this specific structure make the poem more effective?Some readers may relate “even shake the wall” to the Berlin Wall. How could reader interpretations relating the poem to other world events impact a reading of the poem?Jul 24, 2023 · Like a Black Bird by George Szirtes; Written in an unusual terza rima form, featuring linked envelope rhymes, Szirtes once again shows his mastery of formal poetry in this wonderful ode to a common bird. Notice how the middle line of each verse rhymes with the first and third lines of the following verse. Invictus by William Ernest Henry
Oct 25, 2010 · The George Szirtes interview offers a profound insight into the poet's creative process and the intricate layers of his literary world. Szirtes's reflections on language and identity resonate deeply, shedding light on the human experience.
Apr 29, 2017 · Annotations of Song by George Szirtes. Summary of the poem: Title: like a battle hymn, the arts. There can be powerful messages behind songs, or for leisure. Tone: Emotive and figurative language meant to evoke emotions within us, Summary: Helen Suzman: a white anti-apartheid activist, poem was written to mark her birthday. The poem explores ...
George Szirtes’s first book of poems, The Slant Door (1979) was joint-winner of the Faber Prize. He has published many since then, his collection, Reel, winning the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2004 for which he has been twice shortlisted since.
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His latest collection is Bad Machine (Bloodaxe, 2013). He works extensively as a translator of poems, novels, plays and essays for which he has won various prizes and awards. He has also written Exercise of Power, a study of the artist Ana Maria Pacheco, and, together with Penelope Lively, edited New Writing 10 published by Picador in 2001.
